Page 48 of For the Strange and Surprising

As I shed the purple dress and amble to the wardrobe, he calls out, “You’ll need the undergarments that came with the uniform, Ada.”

I lean my head around the cabinet door. “You’re right. I do need them. Why don’t you tell me where I can get some because I don’t have any.”

He coughs, and I grin to myself before shaking my head. I have got to stop doing that to him.

I slide my trusty Nike shorts on. Then contort my body in weird angles as I put on my Xena costume. I know it’s a uniform, but the idea of me guarding anything is laughable at best. Thankfully, I don’t have to take the bondage sandals off, or he would have been waiting for a while.

I march into the sitting room, smoothing down the back of my skirt in hopes that my ass is hanging out.

Isn’t. Isn’t hanging out.

Talodus lifts one of the leather strips from my skirt, and I slap his hand. I don’t need that kind of nearness right now.

“What are they made of?” He leans down, getting comfortably close to my legs.

Too close for comfort. What the fuck is wrong with me?

“I don’t know. Lycra or polyurethane or… No.” I shake my head. “Polyester. I don’t know why I have such a one-track train of thought when you’re around, but it makes me say dumb shit.”

He glances up with a grin. “Dumb, how?”

“Dumb, who,” I correct him, taking a step back. “The answer is me.”

I part the edge of the skirt to show him my shorts. “This is the Earth version of workout gear. If I had some tennis shoes, I’d probably shed a few tears. I’m so sick of wearing dresses.”

“Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine.”

He nods but looks skeptical. I sigh, fully acknowledging that he’s expecting more of a response.

“I owe you an apology.”

“What for?” he questions. “You haven’t done anything.”

“You mean, other than sexually objectifying you and not leaving those thoughts in my mind?”

Talodus shakes his head. “I talked with Isolde.”

I groan. “Of course, you did.”

“Spiran has a way of twisting our thoughts. You find me attractive, so she’s playing on that.”

“Yeah, by making me sound like a sex-deprived harlot, trying to get my rocks off.” I bite my tongue, not that it helps.

He shrugs. “I don’t know what rocks have to do with it.”

“Never mind. Forget that part.”

“Ada, it’s okay. It’s kind of…” He pauses to find the right word, I think. “A compliment.”

“I said I wanted to play with your spear, Talodus.” I rake my fingers through my hair. “And I didn’t mean a weapon.”

“That’s what you’re doing today.”

I choke on my tongue. “What?”

“Playing with spears.” He rolls his lips between his teeth. “Not mine specifically. I don’t know you that well.”